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NOAA: Impacts to the Mid-Atlantic States Beginning to Ramp Up as Sandy Progresses up the East Coast

Sunday October 28, 2012
Hazards Affecting the United States
Wind:
Tropical Storm force winds have been observed at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, with gusts over 60 mph.
 
Winds to near hurricane force could reach the mid-Atlantic states, including Long Island, by late Monday.
 
Gale force winds are expected to reach Long Island and Southern New England by Monday morning.
 
Hurricane force winds could reach the Mid-Atlantic States by late Monday.
 
Rainfall:
Rainfall totals of 3 to 6 inches are expected over far eastern North Carolina, with isolated maximum totals of 8 inches possible.
 
Rainfall amounts of 4 to 8 inches are expected over portions of the mid-Atlantic states, including the Delmarva Peninsula, with isolated maximum amounts of 12 inches possible.
 
Rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches with isolated maximum amounts of 5 inches are possible across parts of southern New York into New England.
 
Inland Flooding:
Heavy rainfall will extend far inland as well during this event, with flash flooding and river flooding possible over a good portion of the mid-Atlantic region and Northeast.  Flood watches are in effect for portions of Pennsylvania, New York, back into northeastern Ohio, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, northern and eastern Virginia, the District of Columbia, as well as eastern North Carolina.
 
Storm Surge:
Moderate beach erosion is being reported by Melbourne, Florida area emergency managers.
 
Some significant beach erosion may have also occurred.
 
Coastal flooding is occurring along the southeast Florida coast.
 
Some areas are not passable.
 
The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters.  The water could reach the following depths above ground if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide:
 
North Carolina north of Surf City including Pamlico/Albermarle Sounds - 4 to 6 feet
 
Southeast Virginia and Delmarva including the lower Chesapeake Bay - 2 to 4 feet
 
Upper and middle Chesapeake Bay - 1 to 3 feet
 
Long Island Sound, Raritan Bay, and New York Harbor - 6 to 11 feet.
 
Elsewhere between Ocean City, Maryland and the Connecticut/Rhode Island border - 4 to 8 feet.
 
Cape Cod to the MA/NH border - 2 to 4 feet.
 
MA/NH Border to the U.S./Canada border 1 to 3 feet.
 
Winter Weather:
 
Snow accumulations:
 
2 to 3 feet are expected in the mountains of West Virginia, with locally higher totals possible at higher elevations tonight through Tuesday night.
 
1 to 2 feet is expected in the mountains of Southwestern Virginia to the Kentucky state line.
 
12 to 18 inches possible in the mountains near the North Carolina/Tennessee state line.
 
Impacts
 
OPM announced that federal offices in the Washington, DC area are closed to the public Monday.
 
Amtrak has suspended some of their service in the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic.
 
Airlines plan to slowly wind down service for the impacted areas as the storm approaches. More than 5,000 flights cancelled so far.
 
Both Kennedy and LaGuardia airports are in New York Evacuation Zone B, which would be the next zone to evacuate if necessary.
 
All Greyhound bus service in/out of New York City and Philadelphia will be cancelled beginning at midnight tonight.
 
Public School Closures for Monday:
 
Virginia: Alexandria City, Arlington County,Fairfax County,Falls Church County, Fauquier County, Loudoun county
 
Maryland: Anne Arundel County, Calvert County, Charles County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Prince George County
 
Local Government Closures for Monday:
 
Maryland: Calvert County, Charles County
 
State of Maryland - liberal leave
 
NOAA/NWS Activities:
 
NWS Eastern Region has 18 personnel deployed to FEMA Regional Response Coordination Centers (RRCCs), to local and state Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs), to County and State Office of Emergency Management offices, or to augment staffing at Weather Forecast Offices (WFOs). 
 
NHC Director (Rick Knaab) briefed President Obama and FEMA this afternoon.
 
The briefing was live on a number of national news media outlets.
 
The NWS Operations Center has been providing daily briefings to
 
Centers for Disease Control
 
Health and Human Resources
 
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
 
NWS Weather Forecast Office (WFO) Raleigh briefed state officials on the snowfall potential in the western portion of the state.
 
WFO San Juan is emphasizing use of a DSS page for US Coast Guard partners.
 
NWS River Forecast Centers (RFCs) are using information from USGS Rapid Deployment Gauges that have been deployed.
 
NWS Legislative Affairs are briefing FEMA and Red Cross administrators daily in the NOAA/FEMA/Red Cross Congressional Call.
 
NWS Operations Center at 20x7 operations in the Operations Center in Silver Spring. The Eeastern Region Regional Operations Center is at 24x7 operations, as are the Mid-Atlantic RFC and Northeast RFC.